13 Ways Peppermint Essential Oil is Good For Your Health

Peppermint essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves and stems of the plant.

The phytochemicals (natural plant-based chemicals) found within a good quality, medicinal grade peppermint essential oil are noteworthy. They include menthol, which is the most abundant phytochemical in peppermint oil, up to 50%. Also important are menthone, menthofuran, menthyl acetate, 1.8-cineole, pulegone, perillyl alcohol, limonene, beta-pinene, and beta-caryophyllene. Many of these phytochemicals are currently being studied for their anti-cancer benefits.

Peppermint also contains flavonoids, primarily eriocitrin, luteolin, and hesperidin. As with many plants, the phytochemical profile of peppermint varies according to the season it is harvested and environmental growing conditions.

13 of the Best Uses (from A-Z) for Peppermint Essential Oil

1. Anti-cancer:

There exists a multitude of research studies on peppermint. Much of the anti-cancer benefits of peppermint are due to its phytochemical content. Limonene, beta-pinene, and beta-caryophyllene are all highly anti-cancer phytochemicals with plenty of anti-cancer research on them. In a 2012 animal study reported in the journal PloS One, peppermint had cytotoxic effects against lung carcinoma, leukemia, and gastric cancer cells. This same research indicated peppermint was a potent anti-inflammatory, important in cancer because cancer is such a pro-inflammatory process in the body. Researchers also found peppermint to have antioxidant properties.

Another animal study reported in 2014 in the Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine found that peppermint inhibited the initiation and promotion of tongue cancer in mice. It also showed that peppermint has a chemopreventive (“chemo” means cancer) effect.

A 2015 study released in the American Journal of Cancer Research found that perillyl alcohol (one of the phytochemicals in peppermint, referred to as “POH” in the study) was effective for those with malignant brain tumors. The study reported that“clinical trials in Brazil have explored intranasal POH delivery as an alternative to circumvent the toxic limitations of oral administration. In these trials, patients with recurrent malignant gliomas were given comparatively small doses of POH via simple inhalation through the nose. Results from these studies show this type of long-term, daily chemotherapy to be well tolerated and effective.”

These researchers agreed that perillyl alcohol had chemopreventive activity, suppressed tumor growth, and had antiangiogenic properties (the ability of tumors to develop their own blood supply to feed them) both in animals and humans.

An older 2011 in vitro (test tube) study reported in the Internal Journal of Toxicologyindicated that peppermint had cytotoxic (“cyto” means cell) activity. It also had anti-cancer activity against six different cancer cell lines − cervical, breast, acute T-cell leukemia, bladder, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer.

Menthol has also recently been studied for its anti-cancer effects, most notably against prostate cancer cells. Two studies reported in 2012 that menthol influences gene expression, has cytotoxic activity, and inhibits the proliferation (spread) of prostate cancer cells. A study reported in 2009 revealed that menthol enhances the anti-proliferative activity of vitamin D3 in prostate cancer.

2. Antimicrobial:

There are a number of studies attesting to the antimicrobial properties of peppermint, making it great for wound healing, respiratory infections, tonsillitis, bronchitis, laryngitis. One particular study found peppermint oil to be potent against E. coli. It also inhibited bacteria exhibiting resistance to antibiotic drugs, Shigella sonei, Staphylococcus aureus, and Micrococcus flavus. Hospitals, take note!

3. Digestive Aid:

Peppermint oil is amazingly healing for the digestive tract. There are many studies on peppermint oil and its ability to relieve the symptoms of IBS  (irritable bowel syndrome). A 2007 Italian study reported in the Journal of Digestive Liver Disease found a 50% reduction in the symptoms of IBS for 75 percent of patients who used peppermint oil. That is truly significant! Peppermint has  powerful antispasmodic properties, which is probably why it works so well. It is effective for stomach aches, flatulence, and diarrhea.

4. Fever Reduction:

While it isn’t a good idea to break a fever at its very onset (a fever is the body’s way of killing invading microbes), there are times when you may need to step in and reduce it. Peppermint oil works very well for this. See “Tips for Using” below for more on how it works. 

5. Fungal Infections:

Fungal infections are problematic and can be difficult to eradicate. Candida albicans is especially hard to get rid of. Recent research (2015) indicated the phytochemicals within peppermint oil exerted powerful anti-fungal activity and was quite effective against candida.

6. Headaches & Migraines:

A 2016 research study in Germany found that topical treatment with peppermint oil was significantly more effective in treatment of tension headaches than a placebo. It was also comparable to the efficacy of acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin) and paracetamol (Tylenol). Peppermint oil helps to relieve migraines as well. A 2010 Iranian study on menthol found that pain, nausea, and the other symptoms associated with migraines were much improved by applying menthol to the forehead and temples of 35 patients with migraines.

7. Nausea:

Peppermint has long been used as a treatment for nausea. It is also effective, however, for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. A 2013 study found that both peppermint and spearmint reduced the intensity and frequency of nausea associated with chemotherapy.

8. Pain Relief:

Due in large part to its menthol content, peppermint oil is wonderful for pain relief. Peppermint is good for sore muscles, achy joints, neuralgia, cold sores, fibromyalgia, and many other painful conditions. It appears to work not only by interrupting the pain signal from the sore place to the brain, but also helps to ease pain due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.

9. Promotes Hair Regrowth:

A Chinese animal study reported in 2014 in Toxicological Research demonstrated that peppermint essential oil may be helpful for hair loss. Animals were divided into four groups, and saline, jojoba oil, minoxidil and peppermint oil were applied to the skin of shaved mice for 4 weeks. Only the peppermint oil group exhibited a significant increase in skin thickness, hair follicle numbers, depth of hair follicles and hair regrowth. The researchers said that at week three, the peppermint oil “remarkably promoted hair growth.” In fact, the growth was better than saline and jojoba and even greater than the minoxidil (Rogaine), a popular hair regrowth drug. Further, they reported that at week four the peppermint oil showed hair regrowth at about 92%, whereas minoxidil about only at 55%.

10. Radioprotective / Neuroprotective:

2010 research reported in the Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics admitted that radiation-induced damage to normal tissues “restricts the therapeutic doses of radiation that can be delivered to tumors and thereby limits the effectiveness of the treatment.” Researchers found that peppermint protected the testes, gastrointestinal tract, and hematopoietic stem cells in mice. In addition, 2013 research on mice published in Cytotechnology found that peppermint played a significant role in protecting neurons from radiation damage.

11. Respiratory Problems:

Peppermint oil contains vitamins C and A, omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and potassium − all of which are useful for any condition where mucus is present. It is the menthol content, however, which makes peppermint oil so helpful for respiratory problems. It is a natural decongestant (it dissolves mucus). It has natural anti-histamine properties and will not cause sleepiness.

Peppermint also relaxes the muscles of the respiratory tract − it is a natural bronchodilator.  All of these things, combined with its antibacterial and antiviral benefits, make it excellent for colds, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), exercise-induced asthma, allergies, bronchitis, sinusitis, and flu.

12. Skin Complaints:

Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, peppermint essential oil eases skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis. It can ease the pain of sunburn and is excellent for chapped lips. Because of its ability to inhibit bacterial growth and reduce inflammation, it’s also wonderful for acne.

13. Weight Loss:

Inhaling peppermint essential oil can stave off the munchies and help you feel full a little more quickly. A 1994 study reported that inhaling peppermint oil affected the satiety center in the hypothalamus. This was a 6-month study with over 3,000 people, during which time the average weight loss experienced was 30 pounds (13.6 kilograms).

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